Wealth Makes Many Friends
August 21, 2020
Commentary
It is far better to be poor and walk before the Lord in righteousness than to be wealthy and dishonest (v. 1). Integrity is far more valuable than wealth, but many people don’t act as if they believe it.
To act without knowledge may lead to hasty blunders (v. 2). A fool brings problems on himself (v. 3). Most wealthy persons have many friends while poverty often results in loss of friends (v. 4). Many will stay around the rich hoping to get some of his wealth while they think it is embarrassing to be associated with poor people.
Dishonest witnesses and liars won’t escape punishment (v. 5). The rich have money to buy friends and often use this to even pervert justice (v. 6). How different this is than our Lord who appeared on earth as one of the poor and was charged with receiving sinners and eating with them. If you are poor, your own relatives reject you, and your friends are worse. When you really need them, they are not there (v. 7).
He who gains wisdom loves his own life; he who keeps understanding shall prosper and find good (v. 8). This does not condone the self-centered person who loves and protects his or her own self-centered interests. Instead, it encourages those who really care about themselves to seek wisdom. Dishonest witnesses and liars will be destroyed (v. 9).
Application
I never want my actions to show that I have sacrificed my integrity to increase my wealth. Integrity is more important than money ever can be.
Proverbs 19:1– 9 (NET)
1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool.
2 It is dangerous to have zeal without knowledge, and the one who acts hastily makes poor choices.
3 A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.
4 Wealth adds many friends, but a poor person is separated from his friend.
5 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
6 Many people entreat the favor of a generous person, and everyone is the friend of the person who gives gifts.
7 All the relatives of a poor person hate him; how much more do his friends avoid him— one who chases words, which are nothing.
8 The one who acquires understanding loves himself; the one who preserves understanding will prosper.
9 A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will perish.
Illustration: I Declared My Allegiance to Jesus Christ
My Marine commanding officer called me in and asked me why I had not participated in a particular event that was in his terms “required” of the entire company. As far as I can remember, it was the only time I had directly disobeyed a command. Captain Birch said to me, “Who do you think you are?" I answered at that moment, “Not very much right now. But I want you to know, Captain why I said I could not participate.” He said, “Talk fast.” And I did. And I declared my allegiance to Jesus Christ. His mouth literally dropped open. And his final words to me were, “I admire you. Get out!” (Swindoll’s Ultimate Book of Illustrations and Quotes, p. 306).